A Third Chance
by Ranma Inverse
Summary: Alt. Couple. Written 'cause we need more MB fics and I need to get out of writer's block! Summary: Ginta and Arimi realize they aren't meant to be, so just who DOES belong with Ginta? *Chapter One REVISED!*
1. Prologue

**A Third Chance**   
by Ranma Inverse   
_Prologue_

  
  
  
  
  
  


_Author's notes: I've already said why it was written in the summary, plus it was eating at me. I'd gladly like reviews. The more reviews I get each chapter, the sooner i'll put them up on fanfiction.net...I won't put Chapter One up until I get at least three reviews wanting me to continue this._   
_. . .___

_ "But when _he_ showed up, I just couldn't let him have you! I've always really loved you alot, Mikki!"___

_ Her emotional liquid brown eyes widened...___

Ginta jumped upright in his bed and breathed heavily. This wasn't the first time he had dreamt of these types of memories from his past. He didn't know why they kept appearing in his dreams. True, his heart still hurt, but hadn't he come to accept that Mikki loved Yuu? 

Arimi was with him now, but he couldn't help but feel like something was missing. That something wasn't right. 

He sighed and put a hand on his forehead, then moved it back to mess up his brownie-colored hair while scratching his head in thought. 

_Ugh...I need to talk about this with Arimi. She might be angry but she'll probably know what it is that's either missing or not right,_ he thought,_ though Meiko would be a better choice. I'd talk to her but she's not that comfortable around me anymore for hurting Mikki._

Damnit! He hadn't meant to, didn't mean for Mikki to ever be hurt! 

He layed back into bed, but though he tried he could not sleep, for he was too deep in troubled thought. 

. . . 


	2. Chapter One

**A Third Chance**   
by Ranma Inverse   
_Chapter One_

  
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_Author's notes: ^-^; Ah well, I got one review asking me to continue and since I had already written chapter one...here it is! Don't pair Ginta with Mikki? .; I think it's already obvious who i'm pairing with Ginta...MIKKI!!!! I'll write a YuuxMikki too (I like Yuu!), but there's SO many of those and SO little of any alternate pairings! ^_^;_   
_-This Chapter One was revised because of the wonderful Togusa, who gave a very helpful review and was so right! Although, I don't quite think I revised it well enough..I might do another revised version-_   
_. . ._

That morning, as Ginta was brushing his teeth and getting ready for school, his phone rang. When he answered it, he was slightly suprised by who answered him back. 

"Ginta, I'll be waiting for you at the Midori Cafe after school. I need to talk to you about something." 

"Arimi? What's wrong?" he spoke into the phone, only to hear a dialtone in reply. He blinked at it. What could possibly be wrong? 

Ginta picked up his bookbag and headed for school. On the way, he came across Mikki who walked with shoulders down, head slumped and back slouching forward slightly. 

What was wrong with Mikki? Ginta frowned and put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" 

Mikki jumped and looked startled at first, but calmed down. "Oh, Ginta. Hello!" she put on a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. 

"Mikki, what's wrong?" he repeated seriously. 

The brown-haired girl shook her head, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired." 

Ginta sighed and let it go. Together they walked quietly to school. 

. . . 

As his teacher began to start up another lecture, Ginta's mind drifted away. What could this empty feeling be? How could it be affecting him this way? His gaze went to Mikki, who was listening to the teacher. _Mikki_. . . 

What would have happened, if he hadn't been so pushy while trying to have her fall in love with him again? What if he had been slower, been gentler...but no, he'd been forceful and he'd hurried, desperate to get her attentions. He hadn't done that with Arimi... 

Arimi?! 

Ginta's eyes widened, then went back to normal and shook his head. He should be thinking of Arimi, not of Mikki. Darnit, why had this started to happen? Come to think of it, had it ever 'started' or was it always there? He shook his brown haired head and tried to pay attention to the teacher, an attempt to keep his mind out of those thoughts. 

. . . 

"Did you hear? He dumped her for his old girlfriend," one student spoke after school. 

"No wonder she's so upset," came the voice of another classmate. 

Mikki clenched her bookbag tighter and began to walk faster. Ginta, having heard the gossip turned his head sharply to Mikki. Had Yuu dumped her? Ginta started after her. 

When Yuu was about to walk by him, he grabbed the blonde boy's shoulder. Suprised, Yuu turned. 

"Ginta?" 

"Did you hurt Mikki?!" he growled. Yuu blinked and shrugged. 

"I told her what I thought." 

At this careless remark, Ginta became angry. He punched Yuu before heading over to where Arimi wanted to meet him. When he got to the Midori Cafe, the expression on Arimi's face only increased the sense that something was wrong. As he sat down he gazed at her questioningly. "Arimi...?" he spoke up, but Arimi shushed him. 

Her brown eyes shone with regret, for what he didn't know. Her hair was slightly tangled as if she had been in a rush to get there. "Ginta..." Arimi said quietly. 

"What is it?" Ginta asked. Something was definitely wrong. The blue-haired girl never spoke his name like that. 

Arimi opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She was struggling to find the words to say, whatever it was that needed to be said. 

"I don't love you Ginta," the words burst out suddenly. The blue eyees male widened his eyes at her abruptness and opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. 

This year has been really wonderful and all, but I've realized I don't love you. You're more like a brother to me, nothing more. I think you're attractive, but nothing more. I still love Yuu. Over time i've come to realize you were just a replacement and I don't want you to live your like as something like that." She explained the words she had blurted out only moments before. 

Ginta stared at her as the words sank in. Finally he spoke up. He wasn't sad, though slightly angry at the fact that he had been used as a substitute, as a replacement. "I'm glad you told me." 

Brown eyes looked uncertain, so he assured again. "It's good that you told me that Being honest is always best..." why was he saying this? Why wasn't he extremely upset like he should be? 

Arimi finally met his eyes and smiled sadly, "I'm happy you don't hate me right now, even though I deserve it." 

"You may deserve it, but...you _thought_ you loved me at first so it's not wrong. At least you didn't go after Yuu behind my back." 

His now ex-girlfriend smiled at him sheepishly. "I'd never do that, but...haven't you been feeling like somehing's wrong? That things aren't as they should be?" she asked. 

Ginta stared at her once again, suprised she was feeling the same thing as he. "That's exactly how i've been feeling! I was planning to talk to you about it today!" 

The blue haired woman blinked at him, then smiled comfortingly. "I wish I could think of a reason why you feel that way, but I can't...not unless you love someone else and don't realize it." 

"That's not it. I don't know what it could be, but...argh, nevermind. I'll think about it some more and then ask you about it again." 

"Alright," Arimi looked around before once again looking at Ginta. "I'm sorry for not being in love with you." 

Ginta smiled at her. "It's okay, you're being honest. That's better than living a lie." 

Amber colored eyes lightened up slightly from the gloom and she smiled more happily. "We'll be friends again?" 

"Yeah." 

"That's good." 

Silence took hold upon them for awhile until Ginta spoke up again. "I should be going now. See you later." After she spoke goodbye in reply, he left for home. 

What was this slightly uplifted feeling that was forming inside him? 


	3. Chapter Two

**A Third Chance**   
by Ranma Inverse   
_Chapter Two_

  


_Author's notes: Thank you, the few who have kindly reviewed. ^_^ As a reward, I bring out chapter two sooner than I expected! (Reviews give me inspiration, the more reviews, the more I want to write it!)_   
_. . .___

Their parents had once again gone on a trip for a few weeks. Mikki sighed as she ate her dinner silently with Yuu, who chewed on his own food while staring at her. 

"Yuu, why are you staring at me? I thought we weren't together anymore," Mikki spoke softly and slowly. 

"You're still a friend to me, and I want you to be alright." 

Mikki stood up, slamming her hands against the table as she yelled. "Alright?! How can I be alright at a time like this!" 

She stormed out of the room and left the house. Yuu didn't move from his seat. 

. . . 

The brown haired girl ran, and ran, and ran, and ran. She ran as far and as fast as her legs would take her until she fell to the ground, exhausted and crying. 

That was when Ginta found her. 

He had been taking a walk to think, but he ran to Mikki when he saw her fallen form. "Mikki!" the blue eyed boy sat her up in a sitting position. The man looked at her exhausted, tear-streaked face and stared at her for a moment before speaking again. 

"Mikki? What's wrong?" 

The brown haired girl didn't say anything, she just lay her head on his shirt and sobbed into his chest. 

As one friend to another, Ginta comfortingly put his arms around and patted her back. 

He continued the comforting action until the sobs ceased and Mikki looked up at him. "Thank you." 

Ginta loosened his hold around her and tried to smile. He failed. "Mikki, what's wrong?" he repeated. 

Tears threatened to fall out of the girl's eyes once more, but she took a few deep breaths, fought them down and tried to speak. When she found herself able to, everything that had been going wrong lately, first being her break-up with Yuu, spilled out. When she finished, a few mor tears fell, and Ginta was angry. 

"How could he do that to you? You deserve someone better than him, if he's going to put you through so much pain-" 

Mikki cut him off. "Don't say that! Yuu isn't that bad! You can't say that...I still love him..." 

Immediately Ginta regretted his words. "S-sorry..." 

The brown haired girl fought for a smile. "It's alright, your just being a protective friend, that's all. Thank you for trying to make me feel better." 

She turned and began to walk home, but stopped when the thought of Yuu crossed her mind. 

"If you don't wanna talk to Yuu right now, you can sleep over at my house." Ginta scratched the back of his head. Why was he feeling so extremely protective of her? 

Mikki turned to him, her eyes showing uncertainty. "There are other people at your house, right?" 

Ginta nodded. "My paren'ts wont mind." 

A sigh of relief formed out of Mikki's lips. "Okay then." 

. . . 

As Mikki lay warm in the blankets of a make-shift futon, she wondered how she had gotten herself into this embarrasing situation. Ginta was asleep in another futon at the opposite end of the room so as not to make her uncomfortable. 

It wasn't working. 

The brown haired girl shifted uncomfortably. What was she going to tell Yuu when she got home? What was she going to tell Meiko? Well, Meiko wasn't a problem. If she explained, her best friend would understand. Her eyes widened. 

Oh, no! What about Arimi! Spending the night in her friend's boyfriend's home! If she explained first, maybe her blue haired friend would understand. It wasn't as if anything unacceptable was going on, so everything sould be okay. After concluding that, Mikki closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. 

Ginta listened as Mikki's breath slowed and slept peacefully. He let out the breath he had been holding and smiled. She had seemed uncomfortable and embarrassed, but at least she was going to get some sleep. 

Something which he began to do soon after. 

Meanwhile, a blue haired girl slept peacefully and a blonde haired man fell asleep worrying. The rest of the world slept peacefully, unaware of the troubles beginning to brew. 


End file.
